League: Champion rookie - Cowboys will go hard out on defence

Jason Taumalolo. Photo / Getty Images

Sides will have to tackle like their lives depend on it to beat the Warriors, says Taumalolo

It took the best part of a day for North Queensland lock Jason Taumalolo to make the journey from Townsville to Auckland, but he arrived just in time to accept the 2014 Rookie of the Year trophy at Wednesday's New Zealand Rugby League annual awards dinner.

With formalities under way, the 1.91m and 112kg Kiwis young gun made a not-so-discreet late entrance before taking the stage to accept his award.

"We had to get up at 4am to get on the plane to get the flight back here and just had to get changed in the toilets at the airport and came straight from there," the softly spoken 21-year-old explained.

"But it's all worth it, getting announced as Rookie of the Year. It's a huge honour, especially with the amount of players that deserved it just as much as I did. Peta [Hiku] just missed out after an outstanding year, and Marty [Taupau] was leading us when we needed it. But full credit to everyone who played in the Four Nations for helping me get this award."

After claiming his individual trophy, Taumalolo's attention turned to the Cowboys' mission of defending their 2014 NRL Auckland Nines title win back at Eden Park this weekend.

Once more they will be without their NRL captain and halfback Johnathan Thurston, who despite declaring his intentions of playing in the second tournament, was again missing from coach Paul Green's 18-man squad.

"Johnno's a bit filthy that he's not playing in the Nines but obviously the coach has his reasons," Taumalolo said. "Obviously we're trying to go for that maiden premiership but it would have been just as nice to see a player like Johnathan Thurston running around in the Nines.

"Just with a lot of space for him to put people through holes, it would have been brilliant to watch."

With their chief playmaker missing, the Cowboys surprised many by winning last year's Nines on the back of a strong defensive approach, after clipping the high-flying Warriors' wings in the semifinals.

Taumalolo insists the home side are again the team to beat this year and says any side who can topple them will have to tackle as though their lives depend on it.

"The Warriors are always going to be favourites for the Nines. The amount of talent they have in their squad, it's going to be a big challenge for any team to try and stop.

"But like we did last year, hopefully [we will] just work our butts off in defence and hold them out. For any team, that's how we're going to play and hopefully do that again this year and come away with the win."

An enjoyable off-season break back in Auckland was just the tonic after a busy 2014, and the former Otahuhu and Papakura junior is primed to put in another big showing in front of family and friends.

"Seeing a lot of family was refreshing and going back to another gruelling pre-season in the heat definitely has me coming into this Nines campaign feeling a lot fresher than what I did last year after the World Cup. Hopefully on the weekend I'll be sweet and can put on a performance for everyone here."